Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-01-19
BOOK SIX.
LADY BEAUTYS JOY.
CHAPTER


TO STRIKE THE MIDNIGHT QUARTERS.
Sophia found her mother seated on the
edge of the bed pale and exhausted, but with
nothing about her to account for her maids
sudden excitement. The old woman passed
her hand feebly across her forehead, trying,
it seemed, to collect her thoughts, and then
began to speak.
>"Have been asleep2 I must have been
asleep! Where is Jonesa Did I not see her
here2 o, Sophy, have had such an odd
dream! I thought there was d ball herein
this room, and yet my bed was here too and
lying on it, and between the dances girl in
a blue dress whose faceI couldk sec1came
and sat on the bedside, and She had lover
with her, and they were toying and kissing,
and then called out something and after
ward awoke suppose I awoke. ] had not
known was asleep"
The maid subsequently told Sophia that,
SO far as she knew, her mistress had not been
asleep at all; that all of a sudden she began
to call out ~e~y loud, as if she were scolding;
and that :" the midst of a torrent of words
she became deadly pale and seemed to faint
away. Seeing this, the maid had rushed off
for Sophia, and upon their return the old
woman was come to herself, and sitting
down as Sophia had found her. The doctor
being sent for, made the usual inquiries and
examinations, and ordered his patient to bed
for day or two, saying that she had over
taxed her strength; but when alone with
Sophia he told her that there had evidently
been all attack in the brain which might be
the forerunner of something very grave, or
might be only symptom of weakness and
old age.
"The latter l think" he said as he was
leaving; "your mother is very aged person,
should fancy, and her last decay has prob
ably begun How long she may live no one
can say; but she will not be the same woman
again, and the rest of her life will be going
down hill, how fast or how slow depends Oh
her constitution and our care"
II told you, Sophy, that I felt little
shaken" the old woman said, when her
daughter came back to her bedside. "Don't
you remember what said about the peach
treess A little rest, Sophy, will set ME up-a
little rest. have had hard life Of it, enjoy
ing myself; don't feel tired of that in the
least, but every one wants rest sometimes"
There followed the contraction of life which
is the sure token of advancing age. Old Mrs.
Temple got up late; she seldom drove out,
and then only at the sunniest hours, and she
had all through the day her little dehcacies-
turtle soup in tablespoons, champagne in tiny
glasses and all the usual dainty forms of
nourishment for wasting lives. Sophia re-
marked, however, that her mother was more
than ever solicitous about expense.
~ declare it is a sin to be eating this soup,
she would say How much is this a quartz
a guinea, daresay. And as to sending to
Gunt.r's Sophy, it is waste, sinful waste.
You would get it quite as good at the confec-
toners here Fancy if went on with cham
pagne and turtle at this rate for year or
| two, why, money would come to all end,
Sophy-inoney would come to an end"
Everything pointed in one direction: Mrs.
Temple was living on capital; and she
dreaded the approaching exhaustion of her
means. Sophia tried to get some knowledge
of her affairs.
"Could not do that fcF yon, mamma p she
asked one day, as the old woman was figur-
ing over her bank book.
"You, Sophy!" she answered, with gleam
Of her former vivacity "You, dear child!
you would not know which side is which
which is the mother and which the banker"
"Let Archibald help you, then" Sophia re-
Joined
"Archibald, indeedm the old woman e1-
claimed. That great man stopping to my
little bit of business would be like camel
trying to get through needles eye. No,
| thank you"
Elsewhere, too, some CLEANS Of her old
spirit broke through the clouds of weakness
and illness, Lut Sophia, watching her mar
rowly, thought the vivacity only assumed.
Even now she fancied she could discern a
look OF deeper care on the old womans face
as she returned to her calculations. Next
day they drove to the bank, and feeble as
Mrs. Temple was she insisted on going in
alone; and she had long interview with the
manager. When she came out she showed
Sophia a roll of notes.
1.-TWO hundred and fifty pounds, Sophy,"
she said. Il shall put it in my drawer, and
if ain not able to get out gain this winter
there will be money enough to 60 on with.
/ don't wish anyone to 60 to the bank about
my business again-rnind that; and you need
not pay any bills just at present. What
ready money is wanted we can take out Of
this"
All this was alarming to Sophia. She was
not the girl to give way to covetousness at
time like this; but who, without uneasiness,
could face the prospect Of supplies perhaps
suddenly cut Off at the most trying juncture!
As to herself, Sophia did not feel much
anxiety Had Percival continued true to
her, how gladly she would have put any for
tune she might have inherited into his hands
to repair his loss, but now she was not in
terested enough in life to fear poverty. Ee-
yond care for her mother she imagined there
was nothing to live for. She had tried even
after Mrs. Hands visit to disbelieve the re-
ports which had seemed so fatally authenti-
Gated; but the very next day Sibyl told her
that she, too, had heard from another quarter
the most Indifferent account of Percival. At